Malta, It's Like Marmite ??? You Either Love It Or Hate It!

Now you may be wondering why I have chosen to write about Malta, well half of my family are Maltese. My grandmother was Maltese and Lateu was her maiden name hence my Lateu-Dalton surname. The Maltese side of the family can be traced back to 1432 during the time of the Knights of Malta.

When I started off in the travel industry I was surprised by the love/hate relationship between customers and Malta, it was either 'oh no i am not going there again' or 'Malta absolutely lovely place been several times'.

People either love the history with all the UK connections (English being spoken) and the rocky coast line, (there are very few sandy beaches) or hate it as it’s not a beach resort in Spain! I guess that it normally follows that younger people tend not to like it so much, however Paceville near Slima is a lively place and it is where the young head for a wild night out!, but if you have family links like me then Malta takes on a different dimension and it’s about the culture, the history and of course my family.

Malta's 16^th Century Grand Harbour in the capital of Valletta is one of the most spectacular ports in the Med, it is simply breath taking as you can see from some of my pictures. Malta's principal maritime gateway is a very popular port-of-call for ships that are cruising the Med these days. The harbour has been a hive of activity for over two thousand years.

Valletta is a world heritage site, and is nothing short of an open-air museum. Take a stroll to admire the magic of the fortified capital and after that the city itself boasts a good choice of restaurants and number of cafes for convenient open air dining. Also Valletta is Malta's main shopping centre you will find a vast array of shops especially Goldsmiths down Republic Street.

Try visiting the silent city of Media, it’s located at the top of a hill in the centre of the Island, has narrow streets and loads of history, a bus ride from Valletta will take only 30 mins and the views are spectacular. If the cruise has a tour, this is one not to miss!

Another great adventure is the Blue Grotto on the opposite side of the Island, but remember nothing is far as the Island is 26 miles long and 13 miles wide – take a boat ride into the Grotto’s and see the sea turn different colours against the rock formations.

In my opinion although it maybe a little biased, Malta is a truly unique destination, with plenty to do and see and makes a great port choice on any Med itinerary. I promise you won't be disappointed!

Bye Bye Package Holiday! Cruise Is The Future!

Cruise business across the world is set to grow by 20-30% in next four years WOW !!!, Figures from US trade body Cruise Line International Association show that the body's 25 member lines are set to add an extra 32 vessels and 57,000 beds by 2014.


Everybody wants to cruise they just don't know it yet!


Take a look at just some of the fantastic cruise ships we will be seeing in the not so distant future from our most popular Cruise Ship Companies:


Oceania Cruises new ship is the Marina to be launched in January 2011. Marina remains comfortably mid-size, utilizing the additional space for even greater amenities. She rewards guests with the “finest cuisine at sea” in six restaurants, including two new gourmet venues.


Royal Caribbeans new Oasis-class ship, which is actually bigger than the Spectacular Oasis of the seas launched in November 2009, it's 16 decks, 225,000 tons and named the Allure of the seas debuting in 2011.


Below is a sneaky preview of how the promenade is set to look inside the Allure of the seas

P&O Cruises new cruise ship Adonia,

Will join the fleet in June of 2011. It is expected that Adonia will feature an adult-only environment and will be P&O's smallest ship therefore will do itineraries that include smaller ports that larger cruise ships can’t access.

Carnival are going to very busy indeed as they are set to unveil a fantastic brand new ship called Carnival Magic in less than 7 months time and in spring 2012 the Carnival Breeze. They also signed a memorandum of agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantierii for two 139,000-ton, 3,600-passenger ships for Princess Cruises,the ships would enter service in spring 2013 and spring 2014.

Celebrity cruises have already launched one ship this year, which was the Eclipse in April and are set to launch the Celebrity Silhouette in the fall of 2011 and wait for it ...... another 5* amazing new cruise ship in 2012, which is yet to be named.

Below is a another sneaky preview I found of how the staterooms will look on the Celebrity Silhouette

MSC are targeting the British market as we speak with the Opera now sailing out of Southampton (some very good deals with them around at the moment), their new ship is the Fantastica joining us next year.

And finally Costa Cruise of course are launching another two new ships the Costa Favolosa in 2011 and the Costa Fasicinosa in 2012.

Well what can I say apart from if you have not cruised yet start thinking about it as it is the future! and also I hope I am lucky enough to go on all the launches he he :-)

Once In A Life Time, Aboard The Queen Elizabeth Before The Queen

What a complete surprise and a total honour it was to receive an invitation to spend the night aboard the Queen Elizabeth on the 9th October 2010, it is the newest ship to join Cunard's glorious fleet, which are the most famous ocean liners in the world.


I am sure you all saw her arrive into Southampton on the news and thought what a beautiful, elegant, sophisticated ship as i did, and I can certainly vouch that inside just gets better and better.


Take a look at just some of the pictures I took :

The Queen Elizabeth herself from the Cruise Terminal (Exciting stuff)

Balcony Cabin A4 grade, Fantastic beds very comfortable (and the first to sleep in them WOW !!!)

The Shower room, lovely marble surfaces (very luxurious indeed)

The balcony with a glorious view of Southampton port (wish it was somewhere a bit more exotic but hey can't be too picky under the circumstances)

The Lido Deck pool, plenty of space

The very famous Grand Lobby, lived up to every ones expectations it was spectacular

The stunning Library where you could hide away for hours with your head in a good book

The fabulous Queens Ballroom with amazing chandeliers

The Garden Lounge with conservatory style roof, so elegant

Lido Buffet Restaurant with more food options than you could ever imagine

The Britannia Restaurant menu, which we had (best food I have ever tasted) and White Star Service impeccable

The ultimate relaxation hideaway the tranquil Royal Spa

The Yacht Club Disco (plenty of drinks following)

My favourite picture me and my great colleagues

I can honestly say it was one of the best experiences in my life, I did not really know what to expect something similar to the Titanic I suppose, but this turned out to be every thing I dreamed of and much much more. The cruise ship gives you a sense of purpose and most defiantly makes you feel special, I would even go as far as to say you feel like the queen!